


Cuphead and Mugman in 'Dimension Tension'

by LaundryCannon



Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Bad Puns, Cups and Mugs, Dimension Travel, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Other, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 12:37:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12841338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaundryCannon/pseuds/LaundryCannon
Summary: After Cuphead and Mugman defeat the devil, everything in Inkwell Isle is peaceful for about a week. Seeing that the devil was overpowered for the time being, the local mafia decides it is a good time to “regulate” Inkwell by using their new Extra Medium Cosmos Gun (or XM-CG) to transport anyone who opposes them to another dimension. Seeing that the corrupt mafia was dominating their home, Cuphead and Mugman confront them and accidentally get stuck in the real world. Now Cuphead and Mugman have to avoid the mafia, evade people in the real world, and find their way home before they are shattered.





	Cuphead and Mugman in 'Dimension Tension'

It was a beautiful day on Inkwell Isle. The fish were singing, the neighborhood flowers were dancing, and the sun overhead was shining. It had been a week since Cuphead and Mugman defeated the devil at his own game and since then it seemed like everything was at peace.  
  
“Gosh dang it Mugman!” Cuphead exclaimed, throwing his cards on the ground, “That is the third time in a row you won!”  
  
“Its not my fault you suck at Rummy Cuphead,” Mugman replied smugly. He bent down and picked up Cuphead’s cards and began shuffling them with the rest of the deck. “What ever happened to your trademark “unbeatable” streak?”  
  
Steam billowed from Cuphead’s straw like a chimney as he fumed from the comment. Mugman merely laughed in response.  
  
“I’m just joking Cuphead. You don’t have to get your straw all bent about it.”  
  
Cuphead sighed. “I can’t believe it! Beaten and ridiculed by my own brother! When will the injustice stop?” He exclaimed sardonically.  
  
Mugman just rolled his eyes. “Why don’t we head back and see how the old kettle is doing. I’m about done playing cards.”  
  
“Ok, but next time we’re playing Eights,” Cuphead grumbled.  
  
Now that Cuphead and Mugman didn’t have the devil hanging over their heads, they got to partake in more “calm” activities such as playing cards. A week ago, they would have been bored shuffling out a deck. Now though, after battling all the bosses for their soul contracts, they enjoyed their usual routine.  
  
The woods around their home held the bright green leaves of summer. Leaves crunched underfoot as both boys strolled along their usual path. Every once and a while a cool breeze flew by. As they headed home, Mugman would hum a random tune and Cuphead would periodically point out a butterfly to Mugman.  
  
“Oh wow! Hey look there’s a Lycaenidae! I wish I had my net on me now.” Cuphead exclaimed. While it may see childish to some, both Cuphead and Mugman were avid butterfly collectors. Back when they were in their teens, Elder Kettle gave them a book on insects and since then they had been enraptured with biology. Before their deal with the devil, Cuphead and Mugman were always exploring the active flora and fauna of Inkwell Isle. They often dreamed to one day fly away and explore the other continents around Inkwell. It was from their skills at running and catching evasive butterflies that Cuphead and Mugman became so good at parrying and avoiding shots from enemies.

Along the way home, Cuphead and Mugman said hello to Porkrind and the Root Pack. Since Cuphead and Mugman had freed all the bosses from the devil, most of them became good acquaintances. Sometimes someone like Hilda Berg, Ribby and Croaks, or Grim Matchstick would stop by and chat. Everyone except for Goopy Le Grande viewed the boys in a good light. Cuphead and Mugman weren’t sure why Goopy disliked them so much, but he was always willing to throw a punch at them while they were around.  
  
It was late afternoon when the boys finally made it back to their house. Elder Kettle was snoring on his rocking chair when they arrived. When both boys saw him sleeping, they looked over at each other and snickered.  
  
“Do you want prank Elder by drawing on his face again?” Cuphead whispered to Mugman.  
  
Mugman chuckled. “Last time we did that, he didn’t notice for two days! I had to stop myself from laughing every time he walked into the room with those long lashes we gave him!”  
  
Cuphead sneaked inside the house and quickly came back with a marker. Both Cuphead and Mugman snuck up to Elder Kettle deviously while trying to keep their voices down. Slowly Cuphead lowered the marker on Elder Kettle and began drawing. Just as Cuphead was done with the first mark on Elder Kettle’s head, both of the brothers jumped when they heard a shout.  
  
“CUPHEAD! MUGMAN! SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS AFOOT!”  
  
Cuphead and Mugman quickly spin around as Cuphead hid the marker in his pocket. With the shout, Elder Kettle also awoke with a snort.  
“Wha... What’s going on?” Elder Kettle slurred.  
  
Running towards the three was none other than Sally Stageplay. Her umbrella was inverted and she seemed to be out of breath as she ran in her dress. As she reached the three, she fell to her knees in a dramatic flourish and put her hand against her head as if she were about to faint.  
  
“Oh boys! It was terrible! I was just spending the afternoon with my gorgeous Honey Bear when IT happened!” Sally said. She then took a dramatic pause.  
Both boys glanced at each other with their eyebrows raised and then looked back at Sally.  
  
“What happened?” Cuphead asked suspiciously.  
  
Seeing that she had gotten their attention, Sally Stageplay sprung another dramatic pose and let lose a few exaggerated tears, “THEY happened! My sweetie pie and I were just down by the docks enjoying the afternoon glow when a bunch of these triggermen came down and started throwing lead at everyone!”  
  
“Oh no!” Both Cuphead and Mugman exclaimed.  
  
“When people heard the shots, Captain Brineybeard, Cala Maria, and Dr. Kahl went to fight them back. They held their ground well but they were all stopped by this one guy’s gun!” Sally said.  
  
“Why were they stopped by some gun? I know firsthand that they have more firepower than that,” Cuphead asked while giving the theater performer a doubtful look. He rubbed at a healed over chip on the side of his head absentmindedly after reporting the fact.  
  
“That’s the thing! The gun that stopped everyone wasn’t some normal, run-of-the-mill gun. It was some kind of bizarre invention. I think they called it the Extra Medium Cosmos Gun or something. According that horrid chameleon that invented it, the gun transports whomever it hits to a random place in the universe! The others didn’t believe it but then they hit Dr. Kahl and he disappeared!”  
  
“What!?” Both Cuphead and Mugman exclaimed horrified.  
  
“Yeah! He was there and then poof, he was gone! They said that they couldn’t bring him back either! You should have seen his ill-fated robot. The poor thing was devastated! After they made Dr. Kahl disappear, everyone else backed down. I slipped away before they cornered me, but now those goons are planning to take over Inkwell! You got to stop them!” Sally exclaimed.  
  
“We’ll do it,” Cuphead declared, “We can’t let them take out anyone else.”  
  
“Are you sure Cuphead? We could get hit as well!” Mugman whispered to Cuphead nervously. He knew his brother often ran into trouble without thinking through the consequences.  
  
“Yes! Those goons will take over Inkwell if we don’t go after them! We can’t expect the Root Gang or any of the others to stop them since they aren’t nearly good at dodging as we are. They could be sent to some other universe or something!” Cuphead insisted.  
  
Mugman sighed. Cuphead made a good argument but he was still nervous to go fight against some goons that could take them out with one shot. He looked over to Elder Kettle for some help.  
  
“What should we do Elder?” He asked anxiously.  
  
Elder Kettle hesitated after the question. He seemed to be very troubled by the news but he kept himself from showing too much concern.  
  
“I think it is up to you two to decide what to do. You two are grown men now and I can’t stop you from going out there to stop them. I know I shouldn’t worry about you two as much as I do since you have proven yourselves in battle on multiple occasions, but if you decide to go, be careful. I love you two very much and I don’t wish to see anything happen to you,” Elder Kettle responded.  
  
Both Cuphead and Mugman hesitated from Elder Kettle’s words. They both felt guilty for making Elder Kettle worry so much before when they got involved with the devil, but while this is true, they both knew that they would have to do something today or Inkwell would be in trouble.  
  
“I think we should go after them,” Mugman said finally, “Cuphead is right, no one else on Inkwell is as good at dodging as we are. It may be a stupid decision, but if we don’t go, someone else may be sent away to another world forever.”  
  
With that response Elder Kettle nodded in understanding. He knew that while the two brothers were always getting into trouble, the two boys were too kindhearted and strong-willed to ignore people in need. With that decision, Mugman and Cuphead turned back to Sally Stageplay.  
  
“Ok. Where are those goons now?” Cuphead asked Sally, “We need to know where they are to kick their butts.”  
  
“The last time I saw them, those hatchetmen were near Rumor Honeybottoms’ hive. I think they were planning to go around and take everyone’s valuables,” Sally Stageplay replied.  
  
“Ok! Mugman, let’s go!” Cuphead said looking to Mugman. Seeing that they now knew where the gunmen were, they both started running towards the Rumor Honeybottoms’ hive.  
  
After both boys disappeared into the distance, Sally Stageplay turned to look back at Elder Kettle. “I do hope those boys do alright,” she murmured, “I can see though that they can hold their ground in a fight like you!”  
  
“What do you mean?” Elder Kettle asked perplexed. It had been a long time since he had had a scuffle.  
  
“Why, you look like you have been in a fight recently yourself! You have a huge black eye!” Sally said pointing to Kettle’s left eye.  
  
Elder Kettle raised a brow and rubbed at the aforementioned eye. He looked down at his glove and was surprised to see some marker on his fingers.  
  
“They pranked me again! Why, when those boys get back, they will have a lot of laundry to do!” Elder Kettle proclaimed.

**Author's Note:**

> Alternately titled, "My God It Has Just Been A Week."


End file.
